Complete Guide to Maryland Bigfoot Sightings (1901–2025)

Maryland Bigfoot sightings have long captivated the imagination of residents and researchers, weaving a tapestry of mystery across the state’s lush forests and shadowy waterways. With over 300 documented encounters, as cataloged by Fortean researcher Mark Opsasnick, Maryland ranks among the top states for reported sightings of this elusive, hairy humanoid.

From the misty ridges of Garrett County to the marshy expanses of the Eastern Shore, Bigfoot sightings in Maryland describe a towering, bipedal creature with a pungent odor, often spotted in fleeting glimpses or leaving behind enigmatic footprints.

This comprehensive exploration delves into the history, pivotal cases, investigative efforts, and cultural significance of Maryland’s Bigfoot phenomenon, alongside comparisons with other cryptids like the Goatman and Snallygaster. Whether these accounts stem from an undiscovered species, misidentified wildlife, or vivid folklore, they continue to fuel curiosity and debate in the Old Line State.

Maryland Bigfoot Sightings

Bigfoot sightings in Maryland trace their roots to the early 20th century, predating the national fascination with the creature sparked in the 1950s. The state’s diverse geography—spanning the Appalachian foothills, dense woodlands, and coastal wetlands—provides an ideal backdrop for a creature said to shun human contact.

Mark Opsasnick’s seminal work, The Maryland Bigfoot Digest, documents over 300 sightings, with 42 occurring between 1900 and 1944, highlighting a deep-rooted tradition of encounters. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has cataloged 35 credible sightings, classified as Class A (clear, direct observations) or Class B (indirect evidence like vocalizations or tracks). These reports, while meticulously vetted, likely represent only a fraction of total encounters due to unreported or unverified accounts.

Witnesses consistently describe a creature 7 to 12 feet tall, covered in dark brown or black fur, with human-like features, a musky stench, and occasionally glowing eyes. Encounters range from brief sightings in rural farmlands to detailed observations in forested areas like Green Ridge State Forest or the Patuxent Research Refuge.

Reports often mention eerie howls, wood-knocking sounds, or large, human-like footprints, fueling local lore and speculation about an undiscovered primate.

Below is a comprehensive table of all 35 BFRO-documented Maryland Bigfoot sightings, organized chronologically, with additional pre-BFRO reports from Opsasnick’s research where applicable. The table includes verified witness names where available, precise locations, and detailed descriptions based on primary accounts.

Comprehensive Table of Maryland Bigfoot Sightings:

The consistency of these Maryland Bigfoot sightings—spanning urban fringes to remote wilderness—suggests a phenomenon deeply embedded in the state’s cultural and natural landscape. Areas like the Patapsco River Valley, Gunpowder State Park, and Pocomoke State Forest emerge as hotspots, with recurring reports of vocalizations, tracks, and shadowy figures. The lack of physical evidence, such as bones or clear photographs, fuels skepticism, but the volume of credible testimonies keeps the mystery alive.

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Investigation Efforts in Maryland

Investigating Bigfoot sightings in Maryland has been a multifaceted endeavor, involving dedicated researchers, local organizations, and even law enforcement.

Mark Opsasnick, a Greenbelt-based Fortean researcher, has been a cornerstone of these efforts. His Bigfoot Information Project, launched in the 1980s, served as a clearinghouse for sighting reports across Maryland and the eastern United States. Opsasnick’s 1993 book, The Maryland Bigfoot Digest, cataloged over 300 encounters, including 42 from 1900 to 1944, offering a historical perspective that predates the modern Bigfoot craze.

His investigations often involved on-site visits, witness interviews, and collaboration with groups like the International Fortean Organization and the Enigma Project. For example, in 1988, Opsasnick joined these groups in Colonial Beach, Virginia, to investigate a Bigfoot sighting, setting up microphones to capture potential vocalizations, though the effort yielded only a rooster’s amplified crow.

The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has been equally pivotal, maintaining a rigorous database of 35 Maryland sightings. BFRO investigators, such as D.A. Brake, conduct detailed follow-ups, including phone interviews and site visits.

For instance, Brake’s 2008 investigation in Anne Arundel County confirmed a bird watcher’s account of unusual silence, a musky odor, and primate-like howls at Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve. The BFRO’s classification system—Class A for direct sightings and Class B for indirect evidence—ensures a scientific approach, though definitive proof remains elusive.

Other organizations, like the North American Wood Ape Conservancy, have also explored Maryland’s sightings, focusing on potential biological explanations for Bigfoot as an undiscovered primate. Their efforts emphasize physical evidence, such as tracks or hair samples, though none have been conclusively linked to a new species.

Local groups, such as the Maryland Cryptozoological Society, founded in the 1990s, have organized expeditions in areas like Green Ridge State Forest and the Patuxent Research Refuge, often using trail cameras and audio recorders to capture evidence. In 1976, a Crisfield search party scoured the marshes after multiple sightings, though no creature was found.

Law enforcement has occasionally been drawn into investigations, particularly during the 1973 Sykesville Monster flap, where Sykesville Police Chief Omer Hebert led searches and casted footprints.

Similarly, in 2000, Anne Arundel County police responded to a 911 call from construction workers at Arundel Mills, though no creature was apprehended. Community-driven efforts, such as those by the Cryptozoology and Paranormal Museum in Littletown, North Carolina, have also engaged Maryland residents, hosting events to collect oral histories and promote cryptozoological awareness.

Despite these diverse efforts, the absence of tangible evidence—such as a body or clear DNA—continues to challenge investigators, leaving Maryland Bigfoot sightings shrouded in mystery.

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Detailed Case Studies

Case Study 1: The Sykesville Monster (1973)

The Sykesville Monster remains Maryland’s most infamous Bigfoot case, igniting a media frenzy and community-wide search in 1973. On May 23, 1973, in Sykesville, Carroll County, a truck driver reported a chilling encounter on Route 32. At approximately 2:00 a.m., he spotted a 7-8 foot tall, dark brown, hairy creature sitting by the roadside.

The figure, described as humanoid with ape-like features, fled into the woods, leaving behind 13-inch-long, 7-inch-wide footprints in the mud. Sykesville Police Chief Omer Hebert responded, making a plaster cast of one track, which he later took with him when he left office. Witnesses noted a pungent, skunk-like odor at the scene, a recurring trait in Bigfoot sightings in Maryland.

Over the next two weeks, additional reports flooded in, with residents describing a similar creature lurking near the Patapsco River, some claiming it attacked pets or emitted eerie howls.

A second wave of sightings occurred in June 1973, when a family on Springfield Avenue reported a large, hairy figure peering into their home at night. The creature, illuminated by a porch light, stood over 8 feet tall with matted fur and glowing red eyes. The family, too frightened to approach, called police, who found no trace but noted disturbed vegetation.

Local newspapers, including the Carroll County Times, covered the story extensively, attributing the hysteria to the recent release of The Legend of Boggy Creek. However, witnesses, including the truck driver and the Springfield Avenue family, insisted their experiences were genuine, unaltered by media influence.

The search involved police, game wardens, zoo officials, and paranormal investigators, but no creature was captured. A State Police spokesman suggested the footprints might belong to a sandal-wearing human with fallen arches, a theory dismissed by witnesses due to the tracks’ size and depth.

In 1980, the Enigma Project revisited Sykesville, re-interviewing original witnesses. Their accounts remained consistent, with no retractions, reinforcing the case’s credibility.

The Sykesville Monster left a lasting legacy, cementing Carroll County as a hotspot for Maryland Bigfoot sightings and inspiring ongoing investigations in the Patapsco River Valley. The combination of multiple witnesses, physical evidence, and official involvement makes this case a benchmark in Maryland’s cryptozoological history.

Case Study 2: The Arundel Mills Sighting (2000)

On July 31, 2000, a dramatic Bigfoot sighting in Maryland unfolded at the construction site of Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Anne Arundel County. Two workers, Jerry Workman and Chuck Vance, reported a terrifying encounter at 2:30 a.m. while working the night shift. As they operated heavy machinery, they noticed a 12-foot-tall, fur-covered creature with glowing red eyes lurking in the shadows near a wooded area.

The creature, described as bipedal with long arms and a gorilla-like build, moved swiftly across the site, emitting a low growl. Workman, an experienced outdoorsman, noted its musky odor and estimated its weight at over 500 pounds based on the depth of its footprints, which measured 15 inches long and 8 inches wide.

Vance, shaken by the encounter, called 911, prompting a response from Anne Arundel County police. Officers searched the area but found only disturbed soil and large tracks, which were not cast due to the site’s loose gravel. Workman later recounted to a BFRO investigator, “I’ve hunted all my life, and I’ve never seen anything like it.

It wasn’t a bear or a man—it moved too fast and was too big.” The workers’ accounts were corroborated by a third colleague who heard the growl but did not see the creature. The sighting occurred near the Patuxent River, an area with a history of cryptid activity, including Goatman sightings.

Despite media coverage in local outlets like the Baltimore Sun, the incident was quickly overshadowed by the mall’s opening, and no further evidence was collected. The Arundel Mills sighting remains a compelling case due to its multiple witnesses, immediate police response, and proximity to other cryptid hotspots.

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Bigfoot Sightings vs Other Cryptid Sightings in Maryland

Maryland’s cryptozoological landscape is vibrant, with Bigfoot sightings in Maryland sharing the stage with other legendary creatures like the Goatman, Snallygaster, Chessie, and Dewayo. The Goatman, a half-human, half-goat creature, is a staple of Prince George’s County folklore, particularly around the Patuxent Research Refuge.

Sightings peaked in the 1970s, with a 1971 incident involving teenagers on a lovers’ lane near Bowie. They reported a bipedal creature with an axe, leaving gashes on their car. Another account from 1972 described a German Shepherd found decapitated near a swimming hole, with witnesses spotting a hairy figure nearby. Folklorist Barry Pearson suggests the Goatman may stem from tales of a hermit resembling a goat, but its consistent description as a satyr-like being aligns with urban legends warning against teenage mischief.

The Snallygaster, a dragon-like chimera with wings, sharp teeth, and tentacles, haunts the Catoctin Mountains in Frederick County. Originating in the 1730s among German immigrants as the “Schneller Geist” (Fast Ghost), it gained notoriety in 1909 when the Middletown Valley Register reported a one-eyed beast terrorizing farmers. A 1966 sighting near Gambrill State Park described a winged creature swooping over Route 77, startling drivers. The Snallygaster’s fantastical nature contrasts with Bigfoot’s more biological profile, but both share a penchant for remote, wooded areas.

Chessie, Maryland’s aquatic cryptid, is a serpentine creature reported in the Chesapeake Bay since 1936. A 1980 sighting by a Virginia farmer described a 14-foot-long, snake-like creature in the Potomac River, possibly an escaped anaconda or a large sturgeon, according to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. In 1943, fishermen near Kent Island reported a humped, horse-like creature with a slender neck. Chessie’s friendly reputation, embraced as an environmental mascot, sets it apart from the menacing Goatman or elusive Bigfoot, but its aquatic habitat limits direct connections to terrestrial cryptids.

The Dewayo, a wolf-like bipedal creature, emerged in Frederick County in the 1940s, with a 1966 sighting near Gambrill State Park describing a 6-foot-tall canine with a bushy tail. Local lore pits the Dewayo against the Snallygaster as rivals, though no evidence supports this narrative. Other unexplained phenomena, such as UFO sightings and crop circles, have been reported in Maryland, particularly in the Baltimore-DC metro area.

A 1978 Harford County incident involved a Bigfoot-like creature alongside a low-flying, brightly lit craft, suggesting a speculative link between cryptids and extraterrestrial activity. While no definitive connections tie these phenomena to Maryland Bigfoot sightings, their shared locales, like the Patuxent Research Refuge, hint at a possible overlap in environmental triggers or cultural storytelling.

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Conclusion

Maryland Bigfoot sightings weave a compelling narrative of mystery, blending eyewitness accounts, investigative rigor, and cultural folklore. From the Sykesville Monster of 1973 to the Arundel Mills encounter of 2000, these reports highlight Maryland’s status as a cryptozoological hotspot, with over 300 documented cases spanning a century.

Researchers like Mark Opsasnick and organizations like the BFRO have tirelessly pursued evidence, yet the absence of definitive proof—such as a body or clear DNA—keeps the debate alive. Alongside Bigfoot, creatures like the Goatman, Snallygaster, Chessie, and Dewayo enrich Maryland’s tapestry of the unknown, each contributing unique tales of terror and wonder.

Whether rooted in reality, misidentification, or imagination, Bigfoot sightings in Maryland continue to captivate, inviting explorers to probe the shadows of the Free State’s wilderness and question what lies beyond the known.